Books! Fabulous, Beautiful, Awesome Books!

Do you read? Oh, silly me. Of course you do. You're reading this right now. .  .But do you read magazines? Books? *Real* books? Or virtual books? I gifted Hubster with a 'book device' and, at first, he wasn't sure if he would enjoy it quite as much as holding a book of paper and glue. . . I have noticed over the past six months that he evidently does as he rarely puts it down - he has taken his Avid Reader label to new heights - and his stack of books to new lows. . .

It's got me to thinking. Beyond having 'gadget envy', would I like to have a 'book device' too? Hmmmm. . . Nah. I really don't think so. I like to have a library of books.

Books that I can look at, admire the colors of their covers, revel in their designs, enjoy the memories that come from holding each and every one of them.

I (and by 'I' I mean me and my family with me as The Keeper of Books), by no means, have a large library.

Nor is it full of highly valuable or collectible books - in the impersonal sense.

My shelves and stacks don't even hold current best sellers,

or possibly even past best sellers.

But my various shelves do display books that mean something to me - such as the leather bound collection my Mom purchase long ago and are now mine. . . Not only do I find them beautiful to see, but I find them beautiful to feel, with my hands and my memories. Those books go back nearly as far as I do and are in nearly every memory of my childhood homes.

Yes. That's right - you are seeing a couple of them (not the bar books in front. . . those are gifts from friends and reflect our current entertaining lifestyle) in my china hutch with the china my Great-Grandmother gave to me and the depression glass I inherited from my paternal Grandmother. I smile every time I catch a glimpse.  Mixing a books' words with 'things' seems to really bring them to life.

Gives them personality, style, and presence

I have books that I will never read, such as the old-old-old ones (see them on the right hand side of the top shelf in the above photo) unless I learn Czechoslavakian. But seeing them, and touching them beings me closer to my heritage and who I am - without ever reading a word.

A majority of my books were purchased at one fateful action a little over 17 years ago. . . How could I possibly pass up a full truckload of books for $5? Seriously? Could you???? I made friends over those books as I shared them. I made friends with the books as I read them. They are not only sprinkled throughout my various bookshelves around my home,

but are sprinkled throughout my life.  And yes, being who I am, I have been known to acquire books solely on their cover alone for no other reason than I enjoyed the artwork, the title, or even simply the color of their spine. Their spell didn't stop with their outside though - the words hidden inside were soon too great of a temptation and I, at the very least, had to open each and see what they had to say.

Hubster may be 'abandoning' his vast collection of paperbacks,

but I can't see myself passing up the chance to enjoy the visual of book ownership for the pared down satisfaction of simply reading words on a 'book device.' The reading experience the words impart are the same, but the emotion of holding on to that book is lost. To me, the book's cover is just as important as the story held within.

The font, the paper tint, the size of book, texture of cover, arrangement of margins and page numbers are all integral parts of the reading adventure. I think I would miss that most of all with a 'book device.' But you never know. . .

Have a Story Book kind of day -

Robin Z